The Key to Survival
Lesson 5: Do not succumb to fear; it can kill you more quickly than true danger
Masterlist
Pairing: Wrecker x Reader
Words: 8600 words
Warnings: Fluff, a little spider?
Taglist: @haloangel391 @sunset-toast
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Controlling the urge to accidentally splash the bespectacled trooper with urine became more and more difficult as he kept asking questions about Cataclysm wyverns. You did not have any problem with answering his questions, other than the fact that answering meant opening your mouth and opening your mouth invited an acid taste to coat your taste buds. Your purifying mask was dearly missed.
You lost track of how many times you waved Tech off in an attempt to dissuade him. If only he could just wait until you gave him the Compendium, he'd have all the answers he wanted and then some, but no. Even his brother's order had no effect; he asked questions over questions, pushing you to admit defeat before the last of your sanity left your body.
Between pants you explained to how Shrieking Sylph could create tornadoes with the mere beat of its wings, how Lockjaw could take bites off literal mountains and would have told him how Deathmarch poisoned the ground with every step when it became too much and you dropped to your knees. Your gunlance touched the grass before you did. With an urgency you hadn't felt since, well, less than an hour ago- which was way too soon to your liking-, you pulled your helmet off before emptying your stomach on the forest floor.
Tears ran down your cheek at the acid burning your throat. A canteen appeared in your field of vision and you shakily reached for it. You shuddered as you washed your mouth and spit the water onto the grass. You looked up at Tech through blurry eyes, jaw tight. He hadn't stopped typing on his datapad, unfazed by your predicament. You fingers tingled with the urge to grab the piece of technology and throw it as far as you could.
"Is this a natural reaction to-" Tech started asking but was cut off by Hunter as he saw your hands close into a fist.
"I apologize." The sergeant moved between the two of you as you stood. He reached for your forearm when you huffed shakily. "Is there a way to make it more bearable for you?"
You exhaled sharply through your nose and closed your eyes. Now wasn't the time to contemplate your life choices. Or give in to your intrusive thoughts.
The rainforest was silent around you. Predators and preys had long fled the area, the fear of crossing paths with a Cataclysm pushing them to abandon their homes for safety elsewhere. It was calm enough, and more importantly, safe enough, that you could allow yourself some reprieve.
You pointed at your chest, then at Raek and finally at the sky above.
"You can avoid the smell up there?"
You nodded.
"Get in the air, we'll keep contact over comms."
You nodded again in thanks and turned on your heels to put some distance between you and the object of your annoyance. Wrecker handed over your discarded helmet as you walked by him. You hummed, thankful.
"You'll be okay?" You did not need to see his face to know he was worried.
You nodded, a small smile stretching your lips without effort. It must have reached your eyes because he mirrored your expression and stepped away to allow you access to your mount. You slid your helmet back into place and approached Raek in a light jog. He leaned down lightly, just enough for you to leap and reach up to grab your saddle. You pulled yourself up and sat while ensuring to not disturb Silica's position anchored at the base of her sire's neck.
Raek glanced back once to confirm that his cargo was ready before raising his wings and taking to the sky. The relief was near instant. The wind flowed over Raek's scales with little restriction to beat onto your armor. The ceiling of leaves was cleared in a matter of seconds and before you knew it, your eyes squinted at the unfiltered sunlight. Raek kept climbing, each beat of his wings bringing you higher and higher and away from the pungent smell that brought fear into the hearts of even the strongest wyvern.
He stabilized under a few clouds. You inhaled deeply, feeding your lungs with clean oxygen. Your muscles relaxed in satisfaction while a moan escaped your lips. Silica turned to level you with an equally relieved gaze. She chirped softly when you patted her head.
"Still in range?" Hunter's voice sounded in your ear.
"Still am," you confirmed. "Keep going South. We'll stay right above you for the last klick of the dead zone and come back once the air is breathable."
"The dead zone?" he asked, tone lowering in uncertainty.
"Ah, force of habit. It's eh- the zone in which people are most likely to die during a Cataclysm encounter," you explained. "Two klicks from the wyvern is the dead zone, ten klicks the danger zone, yada yada. But there's no Cataclysm so we're safe."
"These zones-" Before Tech could finish the sentence, the comms were drowned under the sound of a scuffle and his line cut abruptly.
Hunter's voice returned as if nothing happened, "Sounds like a plan."
You chuckled when you heard Tech's indignant complaints in the background.
For the first time in almost a whole day, you allowed the wind to pick up your worries and sweep them away. Flying was something you did on the daily, more often than not multiple times a day. Despite your lack of wings, you knew it was written in your DNA. It was a part of you, a need to fulfill else you'd get fidgety. Maybe that explained why Silica thought you were her parent.
As antediluvian as riding a wyvern was, it remained an undeniable fact that it was faster and safer than crossing the rainforest on foot.
In order to remain close enough to the clone squad should anything arise, the Starios had to fly in circle, like a predator stalking its prey. Thankfully, years of performing air maneuvers saved you from getting dizzy. What it did not help with however, was the boredom.
Scouting the horizon and keeping an eye on the ground used to be stimulating. Day and night, Halria bursted with life. Yet your little drip of repellent had cleared the area so thoroughly that you only had water to keep yourself entertained.
The moisture from the clouds gathered onto your visor and with nothing else to do, you tucked your chin to your chest, chose one droplet and mentally cheered it on to win the race against its peers to the bottom of your visor. The entertainment was short lived and showed how bad you were at choosing because out of three water droplets, none won the races.
You huffed and wiped the water away.
"Does one of you want to try his hand at flying?" you asked, fingers pressed to the side of your helmet to activate the comms.
"I prefer to stay on the ground where its stable and safe." Echo said.
"Tech and I will pass." Hunter assured.
"Actually I would appreciate to-"
"Wrecker would love to." Crosshair cut in. You huffed a laugh at the obvious teasing.
"I eh- I don't know if I can do it." Wrecker admitted. You cocked your head, intrigued by the consideration in his gravelly voice.
"But you would like to?"
You did remember hearing of his interest to ride on Raek's back over the comms, back when you were supposed to escort them to Zeppham and before Tech opened his mouth and stole your attention away.
"It looks fun," he admitted. "But last time-"
"Last time doesn't count." Hunter rebutted. "We were all on edge. Literally. And this time, you won't be hanging by a leg."
You blinked several times. Hanging by a what? No wonder the man was scared of heights.
"You sure it'd be fine?" Wrecker's voice softened.
"I promise. We don't have to go that high either."
There was a pause.
"Okay. I'll try it." His tone wasn't the most confident, but you understood. You were used to beings fighting their fears. Granted, it was the first time you'd tackle a fear of heights but the principle was the same.
The corner of your lips moved upwards as you reached forward to Raek's neck.
"Hey big guy, wanna show Wrecker that flying is the best thing? He's a little scared so let's take it easy for him, 'kay?"
With a grumble, Raek dove and in an attempt to not scare the man further than he already was, slowed his approach once he breached the leaf ceiling.
You scooted forward and out of the saddle. With an outstretched hand, you invited the soldier to join you. Wrecker's steps faltered. You patiently waited, mind off the acid smell still floating in the air.
You were about to reassure him that it was alright to rethink his decision when he pushed forward and scaled Raek's side. He sat heavily in the saddle and you heard the tightening of his gloves around the leather as Raek resumed walking to keep up with the clones.
"Let me know when you're ready," you told him, head turned to look at him. His helmet might still be on, his taunt body was easy to read.
Silica cooed from her spot against your thighs.
"I-I am."
You hummed.
"If you need to get down, let me know." You spared him another glance. "Keep your head level. Look forward," you told him and his helmet snapped back up. "One of the best thing about flying is the view, so don't look down, look around."
"O-okay." He didn't sound convinced. You pushed through the woozy feeling in your stomach, the smell affecting you once again in a vengeance. You needed to stop talking but you'd be damned if you destroyed his attempt at overcoming his fear.
"Release your shoulders. Yeah, just like that. And keep your grip. It'll be shaky for a couple seconds until we get over the trees and stabilize, okay?"
"Okay."
You grinned. He already sounded slightly more sure. Only slightly.
You patted Reak once and he got into position. Wrecker's breath caught in his throat at the first beat of Raek's wings. He groaned, unsure and probably regretting his decision.
"Hang in there Wrecker," Echo encouraged.
"I am," he assured, the shake in his voice betraying him.
Leaves fell around you and once again, the sunlight welcomed you with open arms. The rocky movements subsided and Raek remained amongst the tree tops. The canopy of leaves created a sort of floor, creating an illusion that you were not two klicks above ground.
"You doing alright back there?" You turned to take him in.
He was so taunt he looked ready to break. His visor met yours and you saw visible efforts into his attempts at relaxing his shoulders. It took some time, the muscles slowly releasing until finally he looked like he could breathe.
"I'm alright." His helmet slowly moved downward. You reached over before he could get a good look and lifted his helmet back up with a finger.
"Look around," you reminded him.
He obliged. You kept a close eye on him, ensuring that he wouldn't glance down again. His breath stuttered.
"Woah," he breathed.
His head swiveled slowly, taking in Halria's natural landscape. The mostly untouched wilderness was a beauty to behold. Cities and villages were build around nature as to not disturb the ecosystems that kept them alive. After all, they were part of it; they came from the earth, used its resources to thrive and would return to it once their role has been fulfilled. The circle of life, a core pillar of Halrian's culture.
"So, how's the view?" you asked.
"It's really nice." He kept his eyes glued to the horizon.
"Told ya." You grinned and breathed deeply.
Silence followed, light and comfortable. Wrecker kept lightly moving against your back as he took in the scenery.
"What's the other best thing?" he asked after a few minutes, the painted face on his helmet staring you down.
"What?"
"You said, one of the best thing in flying was the view. What's the other?"
"How calm and freeing it is." Wrecker hummed, looking back around. "Up here, you feel so light it's like you can forget everything. The wind blows but there's calm through the noise, you know? It's so serene. And the sky is endless. You could just go wherever whenever. I don't think there's a better feeling than this sense of freedom."
A few seconds stretched in silence and only then did you notice your bout of rambling. You scratched at the heat creeping up your neck.
"Ah, sorry about that. It might sounds a bid dumb-"
"It's not," he shook his head firmly. "It sounds nice."
Your gaze fell forward out of habit. Thankfully your helmet was still firmly in place and hid your softening expression.
"And then there's the adrenaline rush when you go crazy fast, but that might be a bit too much for your first time," you added to remove his attention from you when he leaned closer.
"Y-yeah. I think we're good like that," he forced a laugh.
"We're good," you confirmed.
Wrecker, despite his initial fears, fared pretty well. He remained still, managed to keep his body to a fairly relaxed state and overall did not seem to panic. It could be the easiest session of fear acclimation you ever did. A great thing, considering your attention was needed elsewhere.
Silica chirped, her own wings attempting to open. She only managed to slightly lift them before the wind pushed them back to her body.
"You'll get there eventually, Silly baby. Now might be a bit soon."
A helmet hit yours from behind, startling you.
"Oh, she wants to fly too!" Wrecker remarked.
You swallowed, all too aware of the hard armor pressing against yours.
"She still lack the muscles to fight the winds though."
"Aw." Wrecker reached around you to pat the baby's head. "You'll grow up big and strong! Don't worry!"
She thrilled in response.
"She'll be able to fly this high up in about a year."
"A year is nothin'! You got this!"
You offered your own pats, agreeing with Wrecker.
"Will you fly with her then?" he asked.
"Only if she chooses me."
"She needs to choose you?"
"Yeah. Riding requires trust. And I don't mean the I-would-lend-you-my-favorite-weapon kind of trust, but the deepest kind there is. The I'd-let-you-stab-me-because-I-know-you-have-a-good-reason kind of trust." Otherwise they could propell you from their backs when in midair or bite you in half. Not an ideal situation when you have no wings and no hard exterior shell. "And this is only truly acquired between partners. Raek chose me as his Rider, so I can ride on his back. Anyone else would be at risk of getting hurt if they tried."
"Oh. So- eh- Is it okay for me to…?" he trailed off, his voice lowering into uncertainty. You reached behind yourself to lay a hand on his knee in hopes of appeasing him.
"You're fine. There's a difference between being carried and riding," you explained, dropping your hand back to your side. "Riding means that I can give orders and directions. It means that we are a team through thick and thin. Being carried is simply to enjoy the ride without a say on anything. If someone other than me tried to take control, it theoretically could get messy."
"Only in theory?" Echo asked over comms.
"There are always exceptions to a rule," you pointed out. "A majority of wyverns are guarded and warried in nature since the world can be unforgiving, but Raek is easy-going and sociable. He wouldn't mind some small requests as long as he or I trust the person. Silica will most likely be the same as she grows up. She also trusts me fully since I raised her. I would advise against ordering any other wyvern though."
You felt Wrecker's body deflate against your back.
"Oh. So does Raek trusts me?"
"We both do," you confirmed. "He also wouldn't have let you carry his only child if he didn't."
You could almost feel his beaming smile.
"She's great. I hope she chooses you."
You looked at the baby and you knew she wouldn't. A wyvern only chose one Rider and she already made her choice.
"We'll see."
You could not even be mad about it. Her choice was sound.
The small mountain chain that was the Acer Range became visible. Soon enough you would reach its base and the clones would complete their mission. Then you would go home and return to your routine.
You stared ahead, unsettled. Why did you not feel excited by the prospect?
A shake brought you back to reality and made Wrecker gasp in surprise and light panic. Your hand returned to Wrecker's knee while Raek fixed you with a questioning gaze. You touched his neck in reassurance.
"All good big guy, just thinking."
He grumbled before turning back around and descending.
"Guess it's time to go back down, huh."
If Raek judged that the smell was tolerable, then it was time to regroup. Other wyverns could also think themselves sufficiently distanced from the threat and stall around to see the development.
"Get ready Wrecker, it'll be bumpy again," you warned, your grip returning onto Raek's neck.
The troopers came into view. They walked in a loose formation with Hunter at the head and Crosshair holding the rear. The men looked up as Raek flew overhead and landed meters away.
"Still in one piece?" Crosshair asked, his rifle resting upwards against his shoulder.
"Yeah! 't was great!" Wrecker admitted, dropping down Raek's back. You followed suit and thanked your partner with a few chin scratches.
"We're out of the dead zone then." Hunter walked up to you.
"Yup. And the mountains are not too far out either. Another two hours and we should be there."
"Great! And then we can get some grub!" Wrecker cheered. You repressed a laugh.
"Let's get there first and then we'll decide on our approach." Hunter said.
"Depending on the time you need to extract the crystals we might be able to start your operation today."
"Multiple variable comes into effect. Considering the rock formation surrounding the crystals, as well as their size and quantity, it might take an hour, possibly more." Tech supplied.
"Let's not waste time then. We need to get in and out, and clear the Dread Vox territory before nightfall." You resumed the march, the others in tow.
"How long until then?"
"About four hours."
"Let's make this quick."
The hike to the Acer Range was uneventful, if only a little hot. The winds on the ground were nothing compared to the ones that blew through the sky.
Wrecker groaned next to you. "Got any more rations, Crosshair?"
The sniper did not gratify his brother with a glance, choosing violence instead. "Sure do."
"Aw, would you mind if-"
"Yes."
"But-"
"You got your part. This," he says, showing off his ration bar, "Is mine." He all but shoved the whole thing in his mouth when Wrecker reached for it.
"You're mean!" Wrecker's face fell.
"Shocking it took you that long to notice," Crosshair said through his mouthful.
Hunter turned to Wrecker. His look was crystal clear. He had heard this exact chain of event before. You would bet your life it happened more than once too. "Wrecker-" he started before you jumped in.
"You can have my leftovers." You held out the pouch containing the nuts and berries you foraged before dinner last night. Thankfully, the Calamity smell was now nothing more than a memory. Your appetite had returned in earnest once the clones had pulled out their own supplies, prompting you to munch on the mix and watch the show that was a bunch of brothers interacting with each other.
Wrecker reached for the snacks with unveiled enthusiasm.
Crosshair clicked his tongue. "Figures you'd steal the guide's food."
The hand nearly grabbing the pouch recoiled. "I'm not-" The light waiver in his voice pulled your brows together.
"It's not stealing if I'm offering," you rebuked. You grabbed his bigger hand and dropped the bag into his palm. "He's just jealous I didn't offer him any."
Crosshair rolled his eyes.
Meanwhile, a grin pulled at Wrecker's lips. "I'm sure he is." He engulfed a handful, the movement quickly followed by the sagging of his shoulders and a groan. "That's so much better than rations."
"Glad you like."
You turned from him to walk up to the sergeant who was already looking at you with a soft expression.
"You didn't have to." He trailed his gaze back forward and slightly leaned sideways towards you. "You haven't eaten much," he added, his voice low enough to get swallowed under your partner's heavy footsteps.
You shrugged. "The tonic I drank earlier gave me a boost, so I don't feel the need to eat much. I would've given them to Raek otherwise."
"In that case, thank you." He pulled away and wiped the sweat covering his brow.
"Can't your brothers speak for themselves?" you asked with a grin.
He glanced down at you for a split second. "What do you mean?"
"You keep apologizing and thanking me in your brother's stead. Mainly apologizing." You held out your canteen. "Didn't take you for one to apologize to anyone, if I'm completely honest."
Hunter hummed in recognition. "Now that you point it out, I guess I did." He reached for the container and a single brow rose un emphasis. "Thank you." A breathy laugh escaped you. "Tech can be overbearing at times, but it doesn't come from a bad place, it's just how he is. His lack of filter has caused us some troubles in the past and sure, I don't usually apologize so easy, but if you decided to up and leave, we'd be in one hell of a problem." He took a few sips of water.
Now, that was interesting information that you were not surprised to hear. Tech? Causing issues because of his mouth on multiple occasions? Not too shocking.
"Ah. So you're spoiling me to stay in my good graces."
"Can you blame me?" he asked, handing back your canteen. Liquid still sloshed at the bottom. You downed the rest and strapped it back to your side.
"No."
The trees became sparse and soon you came to a halt at the bottom of a rock wall. The descending sun was a clear reminder of the race you participated in. You craned your neck and pointed at the Lemgona cave. Its entrance opened onto the side of the cliff, approximately sixty meters above ground.
"This is the cave."
Silence stretched and you turned to Hunter for his thoughts.
"It's pretty up high. I don't think we'll have time to climb up, extract the crystals and climb back down before nightfall." He glanced between the setting sun and the cave entrance.
"Who said climbing?"
His eyes narrowed in a squint. "How do you propose we get there?"
Raek leaned down next to Echo. His emerald wing lightly pushed his arm.
"How else? We're flying."
Echo looked back at Hunter, his body taunt. Tech pushed past him to climb onto the saddle.
"Better than climbing." Hunter shrugged.
"Three can go at a time." You beckoned Echo after you as you stepped up to Raek's wing. The man was more relaxed once he joined you and reached for Tech's outstretched hand. Despite the help, it was obvious the cybernetic forearm would make for a difficult climb. "Mind giving us a boost big guy?"
Raek kindly lifted his wing. Echo stumbled and caught himself onto his brother. With support, he managed to slip behind Tech while you jumped before them. A glance back confirmed that everyone was balanced and you signaled to Raek to go ahead.
The ride was short. Too short for Tech's tastes but you quickly reminded him of his initial goal. Raek left and soon after, Hunter slid down your partner's side.
The Lemgona cave opened into a long corridor, its walls sparingly covered in various crystals and moss patches. Less than three meters in and the cave became as pitch black as a stormy night where no moon shone through the sky.
The men unclipped their helmets from their belts and put them back on. Lights fixed at the side of their helmets shone to life, burning your eyes at their sudden appearance. You blinked a few times to chase away the sting before turning your back to the cave. You brought your fingers to your lips and whistled. The sound bounced against the rock wall until it faded in the distance.
"What was that for?" Crosshair asked.
A cry answered your call.
"I don't have fancy equipment like yours. Mine is more, I don't know, antediluvian?" You couldn't help the jab at Tech.
The beating of wings became closer and closer. You held your arm out and out of the sky shot a bird the size of your torso and abdomen combined. Sharp talons closed around the scales protecting your shoulder and upperarm while a beak cawked in greetings. You scratched its chest in appreciation.
"This is Chik, my Moon Feather."
Chik was a magnificent bird. His long, jet black feathers shone under the soft light of the runes marking them. The warm white glow reflected onto his sharp green eyes.
You produced a few pieces of dry meat from your pouch. He gleefully ate them and preened, the runes on his feathers shining stronger.
"Nice bird," Echo said.
You agreed with a nod. He truly was great, in more ways than one.
Tech pushed closer and you knew time had run out.
"Chik will open the way for us. Right?"
A sharp cry answered your question and Chik was airborne once more. The runes on his body shone like a beacon as he flew deeper into the cave system. The stone walls in a six meters radius became visible as if a small part of the sun - or moon in Chik's case - had been brought down to the dephts of the cave.
"Huh. Guess fancy tech is not always on par with the natives," Hunter mumbled. The beam coming from his helmet was now invisible through Chik's natural shine. He reached up and clicked it closed. "Stay close lads. The comms might jam any seconds now."
"I detect a considerable electromagnetic field," Tech supplied to which Hunter acknowledged with a grunt and added,
"Comes from all around, but its stronger below."
You looked back at him, puzzled. Before you could ask what he meant the comms line fizzled with static. It was promptly turned off.
"Are the markings on his feathers the result of man intervention?" Tech's visor covered his face for a few seconds until he pushed it upwards to type on his datapad.
You dropped your previous question in the face of Tech's curiosity. It was not worth it. You turned back around and the men's footsteps followed closely as you guided Chik to where you needed him to proceed.
The crystals were a few levels below where the ore grew more prominent. Coincidentally, it also happened to be Dread Voxes' favored grounds to meet up and mate, all due to the same electromagnetic field affecting your equipment. Nature had a funny way of protecting valuable resources.
If you were lucky, the Dread Voxes would all be on their merry way to their female's nest to prepare for the arrival of their egg. If you were very lucky, there would be no frustrated male who hadn't managed to impress a lady and would be more than happy to use your crew as an outlet. If you were even luckier, the caves would also be void of other aggressive leviathans.
It was a lot of ifs and way more luck than you tended to have on a normal day. Gunlance firmly in hands, you progressed through a tunnel leading downward.
At least you could rely on Chik to warn you of any danger in advance. While Raek had great hearing, he remained a rainforest flyer. By nature, he wasn't as reliable through the caves as he was in the trees. His sense of smell would be hindered by the lingering pheromones of mating season and he couldn't perceive the changes in electromagnetic fields that the nocturnal wyverns often emitted to guide themselves through the dark.
Chik on the other hand, was a master of both environments. He slept in caves at night and scouted the forest during the day. He could both rely on his light to roam the darkness as well as rely on the same electromagnetic field used by bigger predators to avoid them. He was the product of a perfect evolutionary line and a perfect friend to have.
"Is it far down?" Echo's unease carried through his voice.
"Not too much. Just a few levels."
An arm lightly bumped into your shoulder. Wrecker muttered an apology.
"How did you find this place?" he asked soon after.
"I needed ore for a new helmet." You knocked on the side of your protective gear. It had been tedious work to gather all the materials Finn said he needed to make your vision a reality. Despite the sweat and blood, it had been oh so worth it. "Some minerals found in here are known to resist electromagnetic fields and low frequency sounds, so I wanted to make a helmet out of it. Protect my ears and all."
"Why that kind of protection in particular?" Echo wondered.
The question shouldn't have caught you off guard but it did. And it almost caused you to falter. Almost.
"I- eh- It used to be useful when I was raising a Tree Howler. They're very affectionate primates, but he was pretty mischievous and loved to sonic screech at me. Apparently, making me pass out was fun." You coughed to keep your throat open. You missed him. Him and every single one you lost that night. "So yeah. Thats how I found the crystals. Didn't think they were useful at the time, but I guess I was wrong."
Out of the corner of your eyes, you noticed Echo's visor move to meet his sergeant's. Guess your diversion wasn't subtle, not that it needed to be anyway.
"They are said to be able to bring a person back from the brink of death," Tech supplied without missing a beat and you were grateful he followed your change of subject. Until you registered his words.
Cold seeped under your skin.
"Sorry, th- what? They can what?"
"Bring a person back from the brink of death," he repeated in the same nonchalant tone like it wasn't the huge deal that it was.
A weight fell into your stomach. Healing crystals.
Was this even real? Could someone or something truly be saved using a rock? Sure, they were a nice orange color, had a weird fire pulsing into the semi-translucent shade and even radiated some warmth that you doubted to be innocent, but could this be a cocktail to prevent death? If anything, it looked like an obvious trap. Pretty things are often deadly after all.
Your heartbeat picked up at the thought Tech planted into your brain. Could you have saved your family if you had harvested the crystals months ago and not some stupid ore? Perhaps, had you not been too much of a coward in the face of the otherworldly orange, warmth-radiating crystals then you could have protected your charges like you had swore.
Warmth seeped into your armor from your neckline where Raek pressed his snout and breathed deeply. He pushed you aside lightly, a low rumble resonating through his body in chastisement. You swallowed hard. The memories of that night still haunted him as well, that you knew for a fact, and yet he was the one keeping you whole. He had forgiven you long ago… no, you doubted he even blamed you to begin with, however he was the one keeping you from breaking apart. Despite the terrible loss he subsided, he still took care of you. This care, while being exactly what you needed, was so heavy to bear.
It brought a new sense of guilt back to the surface. Raek was still grieving his mate, day after day without fail, while burdening himself with keeping you afloat. More than once you wondered if he regretted his decision to align himself with you. It must be heavy to deal with me, you'd tell him. And every time he would force you into a snuggle pile and trap you under his weight for hours until you learned your lesson and relented. Raek was strong, he could carry you and your feelings without so much as a flinch. He would carry your burdens along with you without fail. He was way heavier after all, this was nothing to him.
You stumbled under the weight of Raek's head on your shoulder. The pointed look he gave you once you got back to your feet was clear. Still heavier than my conscience will ever be, got it. You wrapped your arm under his jaw and pressed your side to his head. The contact shushed some of the angry voices resonating in your mind.
"For what it's worth," a hand brushed against your upper arm, bringing you back to reality. Echo stared back. "Even we don't know how they work. Probably need some Jedi voodoo to work or something."
Your head fell back to Raek's with a snort. He might be right.
He might also be wrong.
The tunnel split into a smaller corridor, prompting you to push the miasma of dark thoughts away to mull over later. You guided the group to the left and further down the cave system. It was a relief that the tunnels were large, otherwise you might have found yourself even more on edge. Closed areas were not your favorites, not when you could be flying in an open sky. The cold feeling creeping under your skin wasn't fear, no. It wasn't as visceral, but it reminded you that you did not belong in this place. Thankfully, Chik's light added another layer of relief as the darkness beyond his reach was absolute. Again, not a fear, but basic survival skill. Who knew what kind of teeth were waiting in the dark for a fleshy snack to venture right into their maws?
A loud gasp broke the otherwise silent atmosphere. Goosebumps spread over your arms at the surprise in the clone's voice. You spun just in time to see Echo struggle against something on his armor. He jerked his arm back in a few quick successions, curses escaping his lips. You sidestepped Wrecker to get a better look of his struggle. A few strings were stuck to his vambrace. Off-white. Shiny. Thin but surprisingly sturdy. You followed the strings with your eyes, up and up until your gaze caught the shape of two stick-like appendages poking out of a hole in the ceiling. Your breath caught in your throat.
"Echo," you whispered, the sound ending in a squeak. Of course there had to be a Silent Weaver. "Stop pullin-"
The warning came too late. The leviathan crept out of the hole, its sight sending a shiver down your spine. Eight legs, two scarily long fangs, hundreds of eyes staring you down and a sticky rope escaping out of its abdomen were just the nightmare fuel you could have done without. Its size rivalled Raek's and never in your life had you wished more that your partner had the ability to breathe fire.
"Hells." Crosshair muttered before rising his rifle.
Your name died on Hunter's tongue as soon as Echo's feet left the ground. Curses flooded the tunnel. You aimed at the silk line stuck to Echo. Bullets cut through the line, clean and effective. Echo crashed to the ground at the same time a gust of wind blew past your side. The air howled around the shockwave before ending in a loud clap as the high-pressured air hit the leviathan in the legs.
Its right side caved momentarily. The next second, its whole body came crashing down.
Reflexes took over and you jumped backwards, away from the tons of flesh falling from above. Your arm collided with something hard, sending you stumbling at the same time the leviathan hit the ground. Chik's light was snuffed by dust and rocks, leaving you to blindly crawl backwards on your ass.
Breathing was lightly tedious with all the dust, but it soon became impossible as the ground opened under your sprawled self. A feeling of free-falling gripped your guts. The feeling, while one you were familiar with and sometimes enjoyed, was deeply unsettling when you knew Raek was not there to catch you. Your eyes scrunched closed while your hands flew to cover your head. Over the sound of your heartbeat thundering in your skull, you managed to distinguish the distant sound of a roar. It might also have been the rocks hitting each others on the way down, you weren't sure anymore. A silent prayer left your lips, a last wish for your family to be safe. All breath escaped your lungs halfway through, cutting your hopes short as you hit the ground.
Pain flared from your backside up to your spine, forcing a wheeze past your lips. Through the fog of pain, you knew that every second counted. You needed to scramble away from the raining rubble if you wanted to survive. You needed to get away right this damn second. But your body was too shocked to move. Your muscles were stuck in position, unable to relax from your fetal position.
The Silent Weaver crashed a few feet away, too close for comfort but far enough that you were still breathing. Then came the first rocks, their masses meeting the ground like small explosions urging you to get the hell up. The explosions grew stronger and closer, but never quite touching you. Not enough to hurt anyway. Some hit you from the side, most likely ricochetting off the ground, but none came at you directly. At last, your hands fell from your protective stance and your eyes grew wide.
Above you, covering your body with his, was Wrecker. Even on his elbows and knees, his form dwarfed yours completely. The light on the side of his helmet burned your eyes, forcing you to squint to see the rocks hitting his back. They beat into him without respite, yet Wrecker kept his stance without faltering.
The ruckus progressively came to a stop. As the world stilled, you reached towards his chest. Your fingers stopped short of touching the plastoid. What could you do? There was nothing you could truly help with, not in your position. Was he hurting? He must be. There were no sings of straining on his part, but who knew what kind of weight he was taking on right now.
"Wrecker," you whispered in a low breath, voice wavering in concern.
"Are you okay?" he asked in stride. How he managed to sound so composed, you had no idea.
"Y-yeah, I am."
"You sure?" he pressed. "Nothin' broken?"
A few beats of silence passed as you took a moment to assess your condition. Toes wiggled fine, fingers stretched between your bodies, chest raised with each breath and head tilted up to fully take him in. Carefully as to not hit his arms or legs, you shuffled from your side to lay on your back. The small space separating the two of you only allowed so much wiggle room and your side brushed onto him as you moved. Wrecker's breath stuttered audibly and you froze, scared of disturbing his position.
"Don't move too much. I- eh…" he trailed off, his helmet now touching yours at the foreheads. "Just don't."
A sharp rock stabbed the small of your back but you could ignore it.
"Okay."
A hum of approval resonated between the two of you.
Then the silence registered in your brain like a shock.
The Silent Weaver should be onto you by now. If the fall hadn't been enough to kill you, then it surely wasn't enough to kill it. Yet, the world was dark and eerily calm. Tearing your eyes from Wrecker, you tried to move your head to look around but found yourself stuck in place. His forearms, you deduced. His elbows encompassed your shoulders and he must be protecting your head with his arms.
From your limited point of view, all you could see were walls of rock surrounding you from all sides. From top to bottom, the sediment covered the two of you like a blanket. A blanket that would have crushed you to death had the man not volonteered himself to be your personal shield.
"Are you okay?" you croaked, hands now fully pressing against his chestplate- not to push him but to feel him. Maybe offer some support. Something.
"Ha. I'm stronger than I look, remember?"
You could hear his grin as you stared in light shock.
"But this is- that's-"
"This is nothin'!" he assured with such enthusiasm that you couldn't help but believe him.
"Still, we need to get out of here."
Another look around showed no opening. No gaps. Some of the rocks were small enough that you could push them, but who knew how much rubble was on the other side? Perhaps it wouldn't even budge, but it also could disturb the fragile balance that kept everything from crushing the two of you.
You stared at the walls enclosing you. They were so close. Too close. Their holds on you was tight, like the grip closing in on your chest.
Your heart picked up, fast and hard. Your next breath was heavy.
"Hey," he coaxed softly. "The others will get us out. Don't worry."
Your gaze moved back to the familiar patterns of his helmet. Forget the walls. Forget the rocks. Focus on Wrecker.
"You okay?," he asked again.
I'm okay, your brain supplied on habit, but your body wasn't fooled. Your breath cut and your fingers closed around the neckline of his armor.
"Hey, it's alright. I got you. My brothers will get us out and we'll be fine. Silica will give you headbutts soon, okay? Just, eh, keep breathing. It'll make them come faster."
A wavering smile stretched the corners of your lips.
"You promise?"
"Yeah. I promise."
"Okay."
The next breath came slightly ragged. The next one was easier and the one after that was even better. You laid there for what felt like hours, but realistically, you knew only minutes passed. You remained still, concentrating on your breathing while keeping your sight solely on him. The plastoid under your fingertips was solid, anchoring, just like his voice.
"Good girl, you're doing great," he praised, his voice more gravelly than usual thanks to the constant physical effort.
Heat spread under your skin like a wildfire. Your gaze fled away from him as you let go of the clone to gather your hands to your chest in a bout of self-consciousness. At the sight of the rocks, you closed your eyes firmly and wrung your fingers together.
Amongst the white stars swimming behind your eyelids, Wrecker was there, bare-faced and smirking. Your fingers hurt under your grip.
Only then did you truly realize that your armor brushed his in many places. Places that shouldn't be touching. Heat crept up your cheeks. Earlier, had you…? Surely you hadn't… Your hips, had they…? You desperately searched your memory, trying to remember if your hip had touched something when you shuffled to your back. Maybe? It also could have been the rocks. But then, could it also have been his codpiece? The uncertainty ate at your mind.
"What's wrong?" he asked in light urgency.
"I'm alright. Just eh-" you faltered, brain too occupied to function properly, "it's getting a bit hot in here."
"Ah, sorry. Might be my fault. Tech says I run hotter than others, or whatever that means."
You mentally facepalmed. Count on you to make him feel bad when you're the one making a mess.
"I'm sure it's not you, don't worry about it. I'm usually good with heat. It just caught me by surprise."
Good girl, your brain repeated as if to mock you. You were ready for the ground to swallow you whole for the second time that day. Hopefully it would be gracious enough to take you alone this time.
"That's good," he said and you shivered in response. Gods, you were a mess. At least your helmet was firmly in place. "Your armor looks way more comfier than mine that's for sure. Bet that helps."
"I could have one made for you if you wanted," you blurted faster than you could think. Why was your brain not functioning when he was around? Why were you talking so much?
But more importantly, why would he ever want something from you? Your ways were too outdated for them and-
"Really?"
The hope in his voice gave you pause. You tentatively looked up at him.
"Sure. I have plenty of material to spare."
"That'd be great!"
Tension left your body in a sigh.
"I'll work something out once-" you nearly jumped out of your skin at the sound of rubble being moved by your head.
Smaller rocks fell from their previous position and hit you lightly. Another beam of light pierced through the slowly crumbling wall and before long, you found yourself looking at a white, painted crosshair. The man stared you down once he dug a hole big enough to take you both in. His visor moved from Wrecker, down to you, then back up. The snort that followed was too jugdmental to be innocent. Heat flared to your cheeks once again.
"Hey Cross!" Wrecker acknowledged. "Good to see ya!"
"I'm sure," Crosshair said under his breath, followed by a snicker.
He resumed his task of moving rocks around until he could finally grab onto you and pull you out. He kept his grip on you until you managed to stay upright on the pile of debris. Once you got your bearings, you assisted digging Wrecker out.
"Ah, this feels good!" Wrecker groaned in satisfaction as he stretched his back, arms open wide. "Thanks Cross!"
His brother clicked his tongue.
"Don't do that again," he grumbled before turning to you. "Hope you know the way out of here."
You straightened. "What about the-" Words die on your tongue at the sight of the ceiling. No holes in sight. "What the hell?"
"Bigger rock fell after us," Crosshair explained. "Plugged the hole."
"Huh." Begrudgingly accepting the fact that an easy escape was not in your cards, your gaze fell down to the small hill that was the Silent Weaver, its head half gone under a boulder. "Guess we're going deeper then."
"Oh great! Look what I found!" Wrecker's voice caught your attention and you swiveled to take him in. He dug up your gunlance.
Crosshair ignored his brother to address you. "Deeper?"
"To find the annexing tunnel to go back up."
Crosshair's helmet tilted downward. You followed his line of sight to your fingers digging into your palm.
"Deeper is not better," he remarked.
"I haven't been this deep before," you admitted.
Crosshair paused. "Then how do you know about the annexing tunnel?"
Your weapon appeared between the two of you and you grabbed it from Wrecker with a thanks. Gunlance in hands, you looked back towards the void of the tunnel for a second.
"That's how this cave system works. Others have gone deeper, but they were better equipped and, well, they had their partners."
Raek's absence was a major point of anxiety. While you were a competent hunter and were capable of taking care of yourself, it was healthy to know your limits. And you knew yours. Fighting a wyvern tribe in a tunnel without competent backup or viable escape route was way past your abilities. Two, you could manage, but more than that would pose a serious problem.
"We'll try and stay under the radar." You made your way to the Silent Weaver and pulled at the silk covering parts of its body. With difficulty, you dislodged it from the leviathan to stick it to your pauldrons.
"What's that for?" Wrecker wondered, closer now.
"Covering my scent. I prefer to pass as a predator than a prey. Hopefully it's known in these parts and we'll be given space."
"Right. Make sense."
He put down his axe and did the same, while Crosshair watched from the sidelines.
"Cross! You too!"
"As if I'd ever." He sneered.
"You have to!"
"Watch me."
With a grunt, Wrecker approached his brother, determination making him look bigger. A short scuffle took place, Crosshair doing his best to keep his brother at arms lenght without giving in to his annoyance and start a full on brawl, before he seemingly gave up with the most pissed off expression and let Wrecker stick some silky webs onto him. All in all, you were grateful for the subtlety of it all. None of them yelled, and the sharp teeths remained oblivious to your presence.
They stuck close to your sides, the lights fixed to their gear helping as much as it could to navigate the darkness. Steps after steps, you walked deeper into the cave system. You were thankful that the Lemgona cave wasn't a tortuous labyrinth but consisted instead of a main tunnel that connected smaller ones together. Finding the main path meant that you could walk your way out easily. In theory.
In practice, you'd have to make it without encountering anything remotely hungry, which was less easy to do. Even smaller prey kept far away from these parts.
On top of that, you slowly came to the realisation that perhaps you were afraid of the dark after all… just a little. Without Chik's light, it felt like the walls were encasing you tightly. It was as if you could touch the rock walls just by sticking your hand out slightly. It was irrational. Your brain knew that. You knew that. But the two moderately small beams of light did nothing but help the irrational thoughts proliferate.
Your mind slowly fueled with monsters lurking in the dark, like nightmares creeping around for an opportunity to feast. The darkness was near suffocating and frayed at your nerves. It reminded you of the stone tomb that encassed you mere minutes earlier.
Calm down, you urged yourself. There's no real danger. Just you and the clones and the silence and-
In a short spike of panic, you reached to your right, hand tightening around an armored arm. Wrecker glanced down, the beam of light reflecting inside your helmet for a short second. You squinted through the stinging in your eyes, only relaxing once fingers found yours and interlocked in a soft grip. His thumb softly stroked yours and you chose to focus on the contact. Your heartbeat settled in response.
His footsteps echoed through the otherwise heavy silence. Crosshair progressed with ease, blaster at the ready. Soft scratches could be heard in the distance, far enough that you kept walking in its direction. You silently wished that the entrance would appear soon.
"Do you eh- think the others will be okay?" Wrecker's concern bled through his words.
With a deep breath to control your own nerves, you nodded. "Raek and Chik will keep them out of trouble."
"Like they did for us?" Crosshair butted in.
Your eyes closed slightly at his insinuation. "You try detecting a web string in the dark. See how that works out for you."
"Just sayin'," he brushed off.
